Over at Cato @ Liberty, David Boaz sets the wayback machine to 2008, and uncovers a campaign promise that will be broken tomorrow:
Speaking of Iraq in February 2008, candidate Barack Obama said, "I opposed this war in 2002. I will bring this war to an end in 2009. It is time to bring our troops home." The following month, under fire from Hillary Clinton, he reiterated,* "I was opposed to this war in 2002….I have been against it in 2002, 2003, 2004, 5, 6, 7, 8 and I will bring this war to an end in 2009. So don't be confused."
Indeed, in his famous "the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow" speech on the night he clinched the Democratic nomination, he also proclaimed, "I am absolutely certain that generations from now we will be able to look back and tell our children that…this was the moment when we ended a war."
Now he has doubled down on the war in Afghanistan and has promised to keep the war in Iraq going for another 19 months, after which we will have 50,000 American troops in Iraq for as far as the eye can see.
Not surprising, but definitely worth pointing out, along with all the president's other broken campaign promises (including many that haven't yet shown up on this list, such as the immortal and never-to-be-realized "net spending cut").
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I am, by and large, opposed to these long-term occupations, but we should never leave Germany. Ten years after we do, I guarantee they'll be invading France. Again.
You know, if them Got damnable Republikans weren't slowing down Congress so much over health care reform, Obama might have been able to end this war as promised and concentrate on the real war. Yemen.
I have to vote for Ebomics. Less derogatory to the Oboe.
I really need to get around to starting my Sockpuppet, Pond Scum, and Oboe Anti-Defamation League. Y'all give them all a bad name with your rampant comparisons to our politclass.
You know, today could be a nice day to lay a beatdown on anyone dumb enough to continue to pretend Obama hasn't fucked his supporters harder than Steve Smith raping ProL in a rabbit suit.
Incidentally, you've had the oddest voyeuristic fantasies since moving to Seattle. We're concerned and would like to intervene. SugarFree, do you have something you'd like to say to Episiarch?
What games is he playing? I need someone to tell me about Dragon Age: Origins. I'm good for now with three expansions for Fallout 3, but that's only going to get me so far.
He is playing Dragon Age, but you'll have to ask him about it. I have no interest anymore in straightforward fantasy RPGs. It's Borderlands for me right now.
You have to realize that to lefty academics like Obama and his ilk, words are all that matter.
Under his administration, we no longer use the word "war" to describe military operations to end terror attacks on America and its allies. Rather, these are "contingency operations" for "man-caused disasters."
Hey presto! We stopped using the word "war," so the war is over!
Similarly, the underpants-bomber was not an Islamic jihadist executing an Al Qaeda attack, simply because these words have not been uttered by the President.
You have to realize that to lefty academics like Obama and his ilk, words are all that matter.
I realized this all along. That is why, I voted for McCain. As bad a bet McCain was, he is still better than the Messiah. (not that my vote mattered for shit - I live in Maryland)
We're paying the price for letting many academics peddle postmodern ideas that marginalized reality and overemphasized perception and identity for so many years. Image is everything!
Under his administration, we no longer use the word "war" to describe military operations to end terror attacks on America and its allies. Rather, these are "contingency operations" for "man-caused disasters."
His is hardly the first administration. "Vietnam Conflict" sound familiar? What about "UN Police Action." We haven't had a WAR war since WWII. The only things we call wars these days are things that obviously aren't - such as the "war on drug" or "war on poverty."
As you should be. Foisting threaded comments upon us is the worst thing this magazine/blog has ever done.
I dunno about the catchphrase. I used it twice as a joke in some previous thread, then others used it a few times. I'm willing to go along. It's kind of like that old "That's what she said" phrase, which could be used after almost any statement.
Super-awesome not superlative enough, I hear ya. I just didn't want to risk hyperbole, but with Neil Patrick Harris and Denise Richards, how could I have, right?
I think my favorite scene in that movie was the news clip with the children stomping on cockroaches with the (teacher?) looking on, cackling and clapping her hands.
That is why, I voted for McCain. As bad a bet McCain was, he is still better than the Messiah.
Why FrBunny Doesn't Vote, by FrBunny
Scenario 1: Millions of people vote for Giant Douche only because he's marginally better than Turd Sandwich or because the guy they actually agree with "can't win". So the race is close. After losing, Giant Douche's party gets the impression that some slight twist of fate would have given them the win, so nothing changes, and next time they nominate Giant Douche 2.0.
Scenario 2: People who aren't in agreement with Giant Douche don't vote for him. Giant Douche loses in a landslide. His party realizes no one remotely like him stands a chance. They try something -- anything -- else next time.
Scenario 3: Your vote is statistically insignificant, so whatever you do is irrelevant; so why bother standing in line at the polling booth? Plus the fact that one has no desire to vote for either the Giant Douche or the Turd Sandwich. Double plus, why participate in a system in which you hate the only two serious contenders?
Scenario 3: Realizing that a single vote is meaningless to the TweedleDs and TweedleRs the voter instead votes for the Third Party candidate knowing that the candidate has no hope of winning but enough Third Party votes can win easier ballot access for future Third Party candidates.
McCain would've been somewhat better because he isn't a Democrat. Unfortunately, he likes big government and loves to compromise with those across the aisle. Personally, if I were in the Senate, I'd eschew the whole idea of compromise.
I'm not sure you can still regard whatever is going on in Iraq as a "war".
Our troops mostly sit on thier bases. An occasional suicide bombing blows up tens of civilians in Bagdhad. The iraqi government goes through a round of internal recriminations over why it happened. Nobody else pays attention.
We might be propping up a failed state. Or this might just be the "new normal" for Iraq.
Super-awesome not superlative enough, I hear ya. I just didn't want to risk hyperbole, but with Neil Patrick Harris and Denise Richards, how could I have, right?
Super-awesome not superlative enough, I hear ya. I just didn't want to risk hyperbole, but with Neil Patrick Harris and Denise Richards, how could I have, right?
But this is worse than merely being a broken promise. A broken promise is more along the lines of "read my lips". When you are talking about war and killing and dying and squandering the essence of the country itself it amounts to more than just a "campaign promise".
The other day he came out to give a little speech on the untidy whiteys bomber (seriously, the media felt compelled to force them on our eyes and there were stains, man, bad stains), and Obama began with,
'We will not rest,'
and I was screaming at the TV,
'dude, you are at rest right now, as you are speaking. Look at your prissy little head bobbing about. You can barely keep it up after the pre-brunch message."
and he went on,
"I repeat, we will not rest --"
And, I'm like,
"DUDE, you are in motherfucking Hawaii as you are speaking."
Sounds like a scam to me.
Slap a "dude" on the end of that sentence and add a link with a hyphen in it, and that's a pretty good Anonymity Bot impression.
What, are you objecting to the new catchphrase already? Americans are such a fickle people.
Dude, you said it!1!!
http://www.Dagny-bot.net
Amusing, but it's a good way to attract the ban hammer to imitate the spambots. Not that the actual spambots would be stopped in that manner.
The Hit & Run equivalent of staying in an airplane bathroom too long.
I object to this spambot profiling.
First they came for the spambots, and I did not speak out--because I was not a spambot. . . .
this isn't gizmodo, do people actually get banned here?
At least a few times. There's also some automation going on now to block certain kinds of postings.
I have had a couple of posts disappear for no reason I can discern. Perhaps they were merely particularly stupid.
Don't you see?
Mimicking spambots is a surefire way to NOT get spamblocked.
Before long, everyone who's sick of the spamfilter will be posting like anonbot.
The war is over. We're just standing guard.
Seriously. 50K is not too far out of whack with our European or Asian deployments.
Yeah, we still have all kinds troops stationed in Germany and we whipped those Nazi bastards years and years ago.
I am, by and large, opposed to these long-term occupations, but we should never leave Germany. Ten years after we do, I guarantee they'll be invading France. Again.
We surrender!
For sale: 1 million French army surplus rifles. Never been fired, and only dropped once!
Please. For old times sake.
We built that fabulous "embassy" compound; we can't just walk away and let it sit empty.
Why am I still not getting that free Iraqi oil Bush promised me?
Because it wasn't part of Cheney's secret energy meeting.
War? What War? Did Congress ever declare war? If not, how can we still be "at war?"
You know, if them Got damnable Republikans weren't slowing down Congress so much over health care reform, Obama might have been able to end this war as promised and concentrate on the real war. Yemen.
how many years you want to guess it takes before we are fighting in Yemen?
We are already fighting in Yemen.
whoops, i misinterpreted "Yemen" as the spelling for "Amen" in the funky dialect you were typing in.
"I am absolutely certain that generations from now we will be able to look back and tell our children that...this was the moment when we ended a war."
I did not actually end the war in that (or any other) moment; but, if I have my way, generations from now people will tell their children that I did.
Continuing to study Obamaese ...
Very nicely done.
Obama + Ebonics = Ebomics.
Obonics
I've just used your Obonics in conversation. It was the wittiest jape of the season. Thank you, sir.
I have to vote for Ebomics. Less derogatory to the Oboe.
I really need to get around to starting my Sockpuppet, Pond Scum, and Oboe Anti-Defamation League. Y'all give them all a bad name with your rampant comparisons to our politclass.
You know, today could be a nice day to lay a beatdown on anyone dumb enough to continue to pretend Obama hasn't fucked his supporters harder than Steve Smith raping ProL in a rabbit suit.
Any takers?
I'll be your huckleberry. I think that Obama, more than his most ardent supporter, believes the stuff he says.
Well, then it's ok. Afterall, it is not lying if you believe what you are saying.
Is there anyone actually defending Obama on this blog? Seems like even the leftists avoid doing that.
Playing defense sucks.
Incidentally, you've had the oddest voyeuristic fantasies since moving to Seattle. We're concerned and would like to intervene. SugarFree, do you have something you'd like to say to Episiarch?
the oddest voyeuristic fantasies since moving to Seattle
Ew. With Steve Smith in the woods and Epi roaming the city streets, no one will go unmolested. Maybe I should start closing the blinds.
It's for the best. What will you do, though, if Episiarch buys a big boat?
Maybe I should start closing the blinds.
Please don't do that, the webcam pays my mortgage!
NutraSweet is busy not working and playing video games.
What games is he playing? I need someone to tell me about Dragon Age: Origins. I'm good for now with three expansions for Fallout 3, but that's only going to get me so far.
He is playing Dragon Age, but you'll have to ask him about it. I have no interest anymore in straightforward fantasy RPGs. It's Borderlands for me right now.
No love for Oblivion?
SugarFree, once you exit your virtual reality cave, can you give me your opinion about Dragon Age: Origins? Good, bad, indifferent?
I thought Oblivion was really disappointing, considering how long they were working on it. I couldn't get into it like i did with Morrowind.
But hey, Patrick Stewart, which disqualifies it from "Total Fail" status.
I'm confused, who's wearing the rabbit suit?
SteveSmith or ProLib?
Leave me out of it altogether, thank you very much.
Sounds like a scam to me.
You have to realize that to lefty academics like Obama and his ilk, words are all that matter.
Under his administration, we no longer use the word "war" to describe military operations to end terror attacks on America and its allies. Rather, these are "contingency operations" for "man-caused disasters."
Hey presto! We stopped using the word "war," so the war is over!
Similarly, the underpants-bomber was not an Islamic jihadist executing an Al Qaeda attack, simply because these words have not been uttered by the President.
You have to realize that to lefty academics like Obama and his ilk, words are all that matter.
I realized this all along. That is why, I voted for McCain. As bad a bet McCain was, he is still better than the Messiah. (not that my vote mattered for shit - I live in Maryland)
We're paying the price for letting many academics peddle postmodern ideas that marginalized reality and overemphasized perception and identity for so many years. Image is everything!
What we need is a Re-Enlightenment.
His is hardly the first administration. "Vietnam Conflict" sound familiar? What about "UN Police Action." We haven't had a WAR war since WWII. The only things we call wars these days are things that obviously aren't - such as the "war on drug" or "war on poverty."
How about use of force agreement instead of declaring an act of war?
Our government hasn't call war, war in decades.
What, are you objecting to the new catchphrase already?
Wait, were you actually using an anon catchphrase? Did I miss a discussion somewhere?
(That's right; I'm down here now.)
As you should be. Foisting threaded comments upon us is the worst thing this magazine/blog has ever done.
I dunno about the catchphrase. I used it twice as a joke in some previous thread, then others used it a few times. I'm willing to go along. It's kind of like that old "That's what she said" phrase, which could be used after almost any statement.
Adnotatiunculae bilicis delenda est.
And here I thought Moynihan was considered the worst thing this rag has ever done.
Not worse than threaded comments. The Nazis used threaded comments and look what happened to them!
Re-invented in the super-awesome movie Starship Troopers?
I object to your characterization of that movie.
I object to your characterization of that movie.
Super-awesome not superlative enough, I hear ya. I just didn't want to risk hyperbole, but with Neil Patrick Harris and Denise Richards, how could I have, right?
(Look, I'm threading and quoting!)
It's complicated?
I think my favorite scene in that movie was the news clip with the children stomping on cockroaches with the (teacher?) looking on, cackling and clapping her hands.
I think my favorite scene in that movie was the closing credits.
Starship Troopers, The Book: Bitchen!
Starship Troopers, The Movie: Shit from a dog's ass.
My favorite scene was when Dina Meyer showed her nice boobies, but, then again, I'm straight.
No, I am not wearing a bunny suit at this moment- that is a vicious, unfounded rumor that could be possibly true depending on how one defines "bunny".
That is why, I voted for McCain. As bad a bet McCain was, he is still better than the Messiah.
Why FrBunny Doesn't Vote, by FrBunny
Scenario 1: Millions of people vote for Giant Douche only because he's marginally better than Turd Sandwich or because the guy they actually agree with "can't win". So the race is close. After losing, Giant Douche's party gets the impression that some slight twist of fate would have given them the win, so nothing changes, and next time they nominate Giant Douche 2.0.
Scenario 2: People who aren't in agreement with Giant Douche don't vote for him. Giant Douche loses in a landslide. His party realizes no one remotely like him stands a chance. They try something -- anything -- else next time.
The end.
Scenario 3: Your vote is statistically insignificant, so whatever you do is irrelevant; so why bother standing in line at the polling booth? Plus the fact that one has no desire to vote for either the Giant Douche or the Turd Sandwich. Double plus, why participate in a system in which you hate the only two serious contenders?
Scenario 3: Realizing that a single vote is meaningless to the TweedleDs and TweedleRs the voter instead votes for the Third Party candidate knowing that the candidate has no hope of winning but enough Third Party votes can win easier ballot access for future Third Party candidates.
Whew! That was a long sentence!
... Hobbit
McCain would've been somewhat better because he isn't a Democrat. Unfortunately, he likes big government and loves to compromise with those across the aisle. Personally, if I were in the Senate, I'd eschew the whole idea of compromise.
RACIST!!!
I would've gotten away with it, too, if it weren't for those meddlin' kids.
We are on a mission to fill Iraq and Afghanistan with Hope and Change. Why do you hate Hope and Change?
"Why do you hate Hope and Change?" is going to be my new favorite line. Nice work.
It's kind of like that old "That's what she said" phrase, which could be used after almost any statement.
I'm partial to "But that doesn't make her/him/it a bad person."
If I had a nickel for everytime I heard that in the dark...
There's also "Not that there's anything wrong with that." But I think I prefer the scam line, which reflects much of my thinking about the world.
The Nazis used threaded comments and look what happened to them!
Nazi threaded comments were ruthlessly efficient; it still didn't save them.
In fact, I sometimes think reality is a scam.
"Reality is for people who can't handle drugs."
Okay, that's funny.
I'm not sure you can still regard whatever is going on in Iraq as a "war".
Our troops mostly sit on thier bases. An occasional suicide bombing blows up tens of civilians in Bagdhad. The iraqi government goes through a round of internal recriminations over why it happened. Nobody else pays attention.
We might be propping up a failed state. Or this might just be the "new normal" for Iraq.
Re-invented in the super-awesome movie Starship Troopers?
DON'T MAKE ME COME UP THERE....
Our troops mostly sit on thier bases.
"Do these pants make my base look big?"
Super-awesome not superlative enough, I hear ya. I just didn't want to risk hyperbole, but with Neil Patrick Harris and Denise Richards, how could I have, right?
*grimaces, bites large chunk out of desk*
Are you insane?
"Threading and quoting" comes under the same category as driving and texting - and is banned in several states.
Look, I'm replying to my own post - and threading and posting! Even though I'm pretty sure it's all illegal in my state (WA).
now I'm correcting my last threaded post ...
Over all it's boring for me, how is it for you?
How many times have you heard that in the dark? ba da bum!
Not as often as before I started using my thumbs in the dark.
HURR
If I had a nickel for everytime I heard that in the dark...
A President not keeping his campaign promises?
Stop the presses!!
You got to be pretty young, or stupid to think a pol actually will keep their promises.
But this is worse than merely being a broken promise. A broken promise is more along the lines of "read my lips". When you are talking about war and killing and dying and squandering the essence of the country itself it amounts to more than just a "campaign promise".
In Soviet Russia, campaign promise breaks you!
Hence the need to ban elections. They're dangerous to the citizenry.
I'm replying to my own post
That sounds suspiciously like a....
Oh, what's the word I'm looking for?
HURRRRR
Threaded batin'?
The other day he came out to give a little speech on the untidy whiteys bomber (seriously, the media felt compelled to force them on our eyes and there were stains, man, bad stains), and Obama began with,
'We will not rest,'
and I was screaming at the TV,
'dude, you are at rest right now, as you are speaking. Look at your prissy little head bobbing about. You can barely keep it up after the pre-brunch message."
and he went on,
"I repeat, we will not rest --"
And, I'm like,
"DUDE, you are in motherfucking Hawaii as you are speaking."
Obama drives me K-Raz-EE!!!!!
But you'll have to ask him about it. I have no interest anymore in straightforward fantasy RPGs. It's Borderlands for me right now.